Homemade Wine Tips For Successful Winemaking

You’ve made the decision. The equipment for your mini-winery is here, and you are ready to become the next great wine sensation. But here are a few tips before you jump in. Following this advice will not guarantee the best wine ever, but your likelihood of winemaking success will skyrocket. Let’s start with some sage advice from another winemaker, Paul Masson. This famous California winemaker had a television commercial around 1980 where the late actor Orson Welles said, “We will sell no wine before its time.”

Selling your wine at this stage is not part of your thought process. However, the sentiment is one you should follow. That sentiment emphasizes the importance of taking time to make the wine the right way instead of rushing. Patience is a virtue when making wine, whether you are a winery or a home winemaker.

The Devil is in the Details

People think guys prefer to jump into a project without reading the instructions. Yes, there is some truth in that sentence. Strict adherence to instructions is crucial when making wine. A little knowledge is dangerous and often causes problems the further you get into the winemaking process. Do yourself a favor. Read and follow the instructions each time until you can recite them in your sleep. The wine will thank you, and so will your guests.

Homemade Wine Tips--Cleanliness

Winemaking is all about keeping it clean. Nothing will extinguish your desire faster than dumping batch after batch because the wine is bad from rushing through the cleaning process. Sanitize your equipment religiously. Spoiled wine will all but disappear as a result.

Homemade Wine Tips--Ingredients

Do not skimp on your ingredients. Still, you do not need the most expensive products, either. Find ways to keep costs down, at least until you gain experience. Then, decide if you want to invest in higher-quality products.

Have you decided which kind of wine you want to make? Will you use concentrate or fresh? Fresh makes sense when you can purchase fresh in season rather than relying on products that could be weeks old.

Concentrates allow you to make wine all year. The choice is yours.

Homemade Wine Tips--Temperature

Don’t get the cold shoulder or become hot under the collar. The temperature of your wine during fermentation can be the difference between success and something you toss out. Most wines ferment well in the 65°F to 75°F range.

Homemade Wine Tips--Record Keeping

No, not for the IRS, at least not yet. A friend of mine records every step he takes during his winemaking time. This action is good to confirm you followed the steps correctly. But these records also help when you want a variation, but still with the goal of consistency.

Finally, Time is too Short

The biggest tip we can offer might seem strange, but you need to have fun. Life is filled with work and other time wasters that are boring, tedious, or squeeze the enjoyment from your body. Winemaking should not have any of those descriptors attached to it. Find a different hobby if it does.